Press Ups

[stephanie dee]

Ha! I am celebrating! I have just done, for the first time since I was about 8, a press up!!:grin:

I have never been able to do them, ever since I stopped Karate. I have always had very poor upper body strength (i've got very strong legs though!) so for me to do one now is amazing! I blame it all on Kendo/Iaido too! Then i decided to do as many as possible, and guess what? I did 7!!:cool2:

I was just wondering, how many of you ladies can actually do a proper, full press up? Men always laugh at me when I used to try, then put me to shame by pumping them out! Most men can do them fairly well, even if they are over weight or out of shape, but as far as I know not as many women can...

So how many can you do?

[euclid]

Pardon my ignorance, but is a press up the same as a pull up or a push up?

[lucy]

I just tried, 10 is the utmost, afterwards I collapse... :p I regularly have an attack, deciding to do some press-ups and sit-ups, not at the moment, though, so I'm out of practice, so to speak.

My record lies somewhere around twenty, at the best of times...

But I know what you are talking about, when we do them in P.E. lessons, all the guys can do them pretty well, no matter how unfit they might be, but most of the girls struggle to manage only 3...

[Neil Gendzwill]

A pressup is the same as a pushup.

[euclid]

Ah...thank you Neil.


I was concerned that maybe they were talking pull ups and could do more than me.


My sad little macho side coming out.

:o

[lucy]

Uh, sorry euclid and thanks Neil, I somehow overlooked the question.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Lots of girls can do pushups, but not very many can do even one pullup.

There's a girl here in town who can do one-armed pullups in sets of 3. But she placed 5th in her weight class in wrestling last Olympics.

[lucy]

Lots of girls can do pushups, but not very many can do even one pullup.


So very true... :( But pushups are hard as well. :o

[euclid]

Indeed, pullups are damned difficult. I know lots of GUYS that can MAYBE do one.

[Neil Gendzwill]

So very true... :( But pushups are hard as well. :oSorry, didn't mean to dismiss your accomplishment - proper pushups (straight back, on the toes, nose to the floor) are indeed tough for most women, who have limited upper body strength.

[runsyi]

I can do around 29. Twenty less than I used to in high school. Right now I'm working on plyometric push-ups.

At my strongest, I could do three or four pull-ups but now I can't. That's why the assisted pull-up machine is your friend.

[euclid]

I can do around 29. Twenty less than I used to in high school. Right now I'm working on plyometric push-ups.

At my strongest, I could do three or four pull-ups but now I can't. That's why the assisted pull-up machine is your friend.


You animal you.

:laugh:

[Neil Gendzwill]

That's why the assisted pull-up machine is your friend.Negatives are also helpful for developing pullups.

[stephanie dee]

I was feeling proper good about myself. Then I read the replies on this thread, and took my my cocky and confident self out to the scaffolding to do a pull up...

Lets just say that I am no longer cocky or confident, and I am hanging my head in shame for thinking that I was strong.

[Genya]

Push ups are easy but when it comes to pull ups... It´s just impossible.

[rottunpunk]

i used to be able to do 50 plus pull ups easy, now it hurts my back after around 20 or so, i must be getting to old :old_man:
press-ups i an do fifteen or so easy, havent done any in ages until now. it confused the cat. its the ones where you clap in the middle that ive never been able to do, i just land on my nose :D

wimmin are meant to do pressups on their knees anyways arent they? so they dont damage the childbirth organs or something? pah wimpy.

congratulations by the way.
though for kendo and especially iai, upper body strength is a bad thing (or not necesserily desirable), its lower back, abdomen and buttocks that do all the cutting...isnt it?
:p

[euclid]

I was feeling proper good about myself. Then I read the replies on this thread, and took my my cocky and confident self out to the scaffolding to do a pull up...

Lets just say that I am no longer cocky or confident, and I am hanging my head in shame for thinking that I was strong.


Pshaw, you have made an improvement. You are stronger than you were. This is a positive.

=)

And yes...pull ups can be...sobering.

[Neil Gendzwill]

i used to be able to do 50 plus pull ups easy, now it hurts my back after around 20 or so, i must be getting to old Deb, I think you mean situps. A pullup is the same as a chinup, except your palms face out. In other words, from a dead hang on a bar, haul your body up so that your chin clears the bar. If you can do 50 of those, I'm super impressed.

PS The physical entrance exam for the Navy seal course requires 42 push-ups in 2 minutes, 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes and 6 pull-ups (no time limit).

[Gessho]

Indeed, pullups are damned difficult. I know lots of GUYS that can MAYBE do one.

Sounds like me, sadly! I can do three on a good day...

[rottunpunk]

Deb, I think you mean situps. A pullup is the same as a chinup, except your palms face out. In other words, from a dead hang on a bar, haul your body up so that your chin clears the bar. If you can do 50 of those, I'm super impressed.

PS The physical entrance exam for the Navy seal course requires 42 push-ups in 2 minutes, 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes and 6 pull-ups (no time limit).
oopsy, sorry, yeah i mean sit ups-ach all this technical jargon

no, pull ups dont agree with me. i can do half a one, so if i do 12 of them im one step closer to being a navy seal :rolleyes:
:p

[runsyi]

i used to be able to do 50 plus pull ups easy, now it hurts my back after around 20 or so, i must be getting to old :old_man:
press-ups i an do fifteen or so easy, havent done any in ages until now. it confused the cat. its the ones where you clap in the middle that ive never been able to do, i just land on my nose :D

wimmin are meant to do pressups on their knees anyways arent they? so they dont damage the childbirth organs or something? pah wimpy.

congratulations by the way.
though for kendo and especially iai, upper body strength is a bad thing (or not necesserily desirable), its lower back, abdomen and buttocks that do all the cutting...isnt it?
:p

Plyometric push-ups are the ones where you push-up and clap. I got into a pissing contest with my sempai once after practice over push-ups. We started doing them with our toes on the stairs and kept trying to see who could get up higher. Then he busted out one of those and I nearly busted my face on the concrete. Ah, the perils of drinking after keiko. But push-ups on your toes does help to build abdominal strength in addition to upper body strength.

[MAZ77]

Deb, I think you mean situps. A pullup is the same as a chinup, except your palms face out. In other words, from a dead hang on a bar, haul your body up so that your chin clears the bar. If you can do 50 of those, I'm super impressed.

PS The physical entrance exam for the Navy seal course requires 42 push-ups in 2 minutes, 50 sit-ups in 2 minutes and 6 pull-ups (no time limit).

Is this requirement also subjective, meaning, do they evaluate if you can do them effortlessly or if you struggled through them and got the last 42nd push out at the last millisecond. Obviously doing 42 in 2 minutes is pretty tough and i imagine they are all in good shape, but do they take that into account at all?

[Neil Gendzwill]

I just dredged those up as a way of illustrating the relative difficulty of the three exercises. I don't think those are particularily stringent requirements given the general fitness of SEAL candidates - hell, I can pass that test but the SEAL course would literally kill my old ass. I'm sure there's a lot more data considered when deciding if a guy is a candidate for the course but I'll bet if someone shows any effort at all in getting through that they'd be punted.

[Ignatz]

Is this requirement also subjective, meaning, do they evaluate if you can do them effortlessly or if you struggled through them and got the last 42nd push out at the last millisecond. Obviously doing 42 in 2 minutes is pretty tough and i imagine they are all in good shape, but do they take that into account at all?
It is just to see if you will die before the first day is over.

[Paikea]

It is just to see if you will die before the first day is over...and then, they introduce them to Old Misery, sand and hypothermia.

[Alison2805]

I do push-ups on my knees instead of toes, mainly because the lesser weight means I can do more reps etc. I want strength, but I dont want to end up looking really muscley!

[Kuri]

I want strength, but I dont want to end up looking really muscley! If you want strength, do them on your toes. It will help improve your core strength which is sadly lacking in most people today. Alternatively, do bracing. Exactly the same without the push from the arms (rest on your elbows, or hold the position at different hights and work your shoulders and lats). Unless you become a fitness fanatic, having visible bulging muscles is unlikely to occur.

[euclid]

On a side note, how do you get away with NOT doing pushups in kendo class?


We usually do anywhere from 50 to 60 per class.

[kpmooney]

I want strength, but I dont want to end up looking really muscley!
You won't. Women just don't have the hormones to get big and bulky without both drugs and a hell of a lot of exercise.

[KhawMengLee]

Is this requirement also subjective, meaning, do they evaluate if you can do them effortlessly or if you struggled through them and got the last 42nd push out at the last millisecond. Obviously doing 42 in 2 minutes is pretty tough and i imagine they are all in good shape, but do they take that into account at all?

42 pushups in 2 minute, 50 situps in 2 minutes and 6 chinups isn't that hard. keep in mind tho' that this is the requirement to 'enter' not 'PASS' the SEAL course.

What they make you do after qualifying...well, that's death.;)

[xvikingx]

Yeah but I heard that that is the minimum and somewhere around at least 70, 80, 15 is suggested.

[shred_lord]

On a side note, how do you get away with NOT doing pushups in kendo class?


We usually do anywhere from 50 to 60 per class.Only ever been told to do pressups once in 2 years of kendo. (It was the forfeit for the losing team in a set of footwork relay races)

[iceman_213]

lol, get that all the time when we play football (soccer) and the other team scores, we have to get down and do 20. (I'm new here, joined yesterday, stumbled across by looking for trapped nerve remedies on Google!)

You'd be surprised that most guys CANT do them properly. Some of the kids I coached couldn't do them so I'd make them do it on their knees (as mentioned above). Those who find it difficult I suggest you start with resting on your knees instead of the toes, then gradually put your knees back (so theres more distance between your knees and your arms (if that makes sense). When you find these really easy change to the toes.

Those of you who find them ok/easy to do try the following, I used to do a set of 30 of each of these but havent done em for ages as I've not needed to!

(feet together, on toes, back straight, knees locked, nose to the floor)

30 normal ones,
30 with your arms wider (these work your shoulders)
30 on your fists (really pumps your biceps!!)
30 triangles - both thumbs and forefingers joining so the shape of a triangle is made (mainly triceps, these were an absolute killer!!! - try em out!)
10 bouncing off the ground and clapping the hands

All with like a good 45 seconds to 1min recovery or until your training partner has done their set. I dont know what the major muscles are used in Kendo but I imagine your arms and shoulders are used alot, and these really build all the muscles in the arms and shoulders.

[euclid]

Only ever been told to do pressups once in 2 years of kendo. (It was the forfeit for the losing team in a set of footwork relay races)


Hmmm, weird. We do alot in our warmups, our class is big on cardiovascular conditioning, so we end up doing most of our pushups after kiai exercises where you you are totally out of breath and have no energy left. It's hard as hell, but teaches you good breath control.

[lucy]

Sorry, didn't mean to dismiss your accomplishment - proper pushups (straight back, on the toes, nose to the floor) are indeed tough for most women, who have limited upper body strength.

No problem, I know I'm not the most athletic girl in town... :D But I always do the "proper" ones, if I do them. :tongue: On my knees I can do more, but that's not good, I think. Where's the sense in there? I do pushups for core strength, not just for the shoulders.

Euclid: We don't do pushups in kendo.

Oh, and about those plyometric ones: I always envied our old P.E. teacher who can do more than 15 of them in one go... Awesome... :scared: But he is quite small and athletic, so no surprise, really.

[euclid]

No problem, I know I'm not the most athletic girl in town... :D But I always do the "proper" ones, if I do them. :tongue: On my knees I can do more, but that's not good, I think. Where's the sense in there? I do pushups for core strength, not just for the shoulders.

Euclid: We don't do pushups in kendo.

Oh, and about those plyometric ones: I always envied our old P.E. teacher who can do more than 15 of them in one go... Awesome... :scared: But he is quite small and athletic, so no surprise, really.


ha, so basically I seem like the only one that gets bombarded with pushups...weirdness.

I actually like it, builds good shoulder, chest and back strength. Although, we have to do fingertip pushups as well...those I don't like so much.

[iceman_213]

now fingertip ones are hard! actually i forgot about those, when i did do press-ups i could also do fingertip ones but on all the fingertips, that was slightly easier, i could do a few on 3 fingers, but then they start hurting like hell!

have any of you ever seen bruce lee do em on ONE finger, THAT is insane!!

[Kingofmyrrh]

Pushup bragging rights are only earned once you can do what this guy's doing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpXzF6iY994

Check out this guy's pullups (and the rest of his weird skills):

http://www.drillsandskills.com/skills/cond/upper

[h2o]

On a side note, how do you get away with NOT doing pushups in kendo class?


We usually do anywhere from 50 to 60 per class.
We have other evil exercises to choose from. Pushups do however show up from time to time. Never 50-60 though.

And, about the SEALS, I've heard that there are lots of special units with harder tests. Not that I would ever pass any of their tests ;)

[stephanie dee]

Pushup bragging rights are only earned once you can do what this guy's doing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpXzF6iY994

Check out this guy's pullups (and the rest of his weird skills):

http://www.drillsandskills.com/skills/cond/upper

My God, those are amazing!! Why do they make it look so easy?? That guy in the gym thingy looks like a monkey when doing those one armed pull ups...

We've never done press ups in Kendo. We did in karate, nut only as punishment. I'll have to suggest it at Kendo so that we do them as part of our warm up... then I can show off my skills!! :puzzled:

[iceman_213]

THAT is awesome!!! I so envy that guy, but im sure if your dedicated enough you can do it, in a year, maybe more i dont know! Not seen the second vid yet, it doesnt load up!

I'm 22, and pretty fit-ish (i think) how long do you think it'll take me to get the nag of kendo if i start soon?

[Ignatz]

I'm 22, and pretty fit-ish (i think) how long do you think it'll take me to get the nag of kendo if i start soon?
About 25 years.

[iceman_213]

lol, 25 yrs or by the age of 25?? :mad2:

[Munnin]

lol, 25 yrs or by the age of 25?? :mad2:

Its an old gag in kendo; If you ask anyone in kendo how long it takes to get good they will say: 'I will let you know when I get good'. truth be told am just starting to not feel lost after two years.